Tag Archives: succeed

An Excerpt, with some minor edits, from a note I was sending someone hoping to help them in a tough spot. I wanted to share it here as well, just in case someone reads it that could gain something from it.

You have been searching for answers and feel that you are not getting them. I can promise you that there will be a day when you look back on this time and will be able to see blessings that you cannot see now. You will be able to see where His hand was guiding you. You will understand the Why. Why you had to go through this trial. Why it wasn’t easier. And that is how you will make a difference in the world for many, many people. There are people near you that need you now. There are people nowhere close to you now that are going to need you. Everyone is dealing with their own struggles and challenges and they need help. Most can’t be helped by someone that has the book smarts on the struggle. But the person who can make a difference, the person who can change their life, the person who can save them is the one who has been there. The one who has been in their shoes and has conquered that challenge. My friend lost a baby boy and a brother in a short period. Nobody could really help her through those difficult times that hadn’t been through something similar. But now, she can take those tragic experiences and help many others going through their own tragic times. I often recall an old Young Woman’s theme, “I can do hard things.” Every hard thing that you have pushed yourself through, whether it was in a relationship, a sport, in business or something else has prepared you for something you will go through and deal with at some point in the future. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” You’ve been through hard things in the past and it has strengthened you. You are going to go through hard things throughout your life and they will continue to strengthen you. Right now may be the hardest thing that you have had to deal with up to this point of your life. You can do it. You will grow from it. You are amazing. YOU are going to make a difference in the world!

“My confidence came from my vision… I am a big believer that if you have a very clear vision of where you want to go, then the rest of it is much easier. Because you always know why you are training 5 hours a day, you always know why you are pushing and going through the pain barrier, and why you have to eat more, and why you have to struggle more, and why you have to be more disciplined… I felt that I could win it, and that was what I was there for. I wasn’t there to compete. I was there to win.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Is that a dream, or a goal? Because a dream is something you fantasize about that will probably never happen. A goal is something you set a plan for, work toward, and achieve.” – Paul Levesque (Triple H)

My daughter is a junior in high school and is trying to figure out the path she wants to take in life. To help her out I took her to visit with an amazing friend of mine. She runs multiple, successful companies. She serves on multiple boards. He has an incredible family. She serves extensively in our church. I could go on and on, but lets just say if I’d like my daughter to get some life advice, she’s a great one to be getting it from.

As I sat listening to the two of them talk, my friend shared stories, helped make plans and gave some great advice. But there was one part of the conversation that I’ve been thinking a lot about since that meeting. They had been taking about some specific universities and she had told my daughter who her contacts were at these universities. My daughter made a comment about how she seemed to know everybody.

This was the most valuable lesson my daughter could learn in this meeting. My friend expressed to my daughter the importance of who you know.

Does it really matter who you know?

Does it really matter how big or connected your network is?

Really, how valuable is your network?

Your network is everything!

As I’ve said in other posts, people are going to do business (or whatever you are relating this to) with people they know, like and trust. Products and services obviously all come into play but on an even playing field, more often than not the decision maker is going to go with the person or company she knows, likes and trusts.

I think back to some of my major business transactions and in every case I had a relationship with the decision maker or the person who sent the referral. Your ability to build the proper network around you will determine your success in everything that you do.

In Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money, Rabbi Daniel Lapin talks a great deal about the importance of building your network. He advises us to “build genuine and sincere relationships with as many people as possible with no thought of reward.” This is the key in building your network. Be genuine. Build Friendships. Don’t build relationships based on wanting to know what that person can do to help you. Look for opportunities to help others in your network without expecting anything in return.

As you build and foster relationships you will discover opportunities to serve others and when the time comes that you are in need, you will have someone within your network that you can turn to.

Is there someone right now that you want to connect to? Figure out how you can help them with something they need done.